Why is it in our nature to assume the worst? Why is it just easier to assume or expect something negative other than something positive. Is it our society? Is it because if we assume the worst then we will be pleasantly surprised when it turns out better. Do we think we don’t deserve better. I honestly don’t know. So, in the context of my recently published paper ( read previous posts ) I haven’t got a meaningful response. Now, I posted it internally to our company and have received several hundred views from our employees, but I also sent it directly to several C Level executives. I have only two ways to perceive it. Positive or Negatively. I choose POSITIVE. While I don’t have a response that also means I didn’t get a ‘NO’. What I do now have is a foundation to build from. While I can’t predict when I and others now know we will not be starting from scratch. This paper was just a start and while the overall plan may be long at least the catalyst for the start has been established. You can’t finish if you don’t even start. To me, that cup is half full with a great potential of filling all the way up. That is POSITIVE.

So if you have followed some of my previous posts you know I am testing my boundaries with a concept that is outside my normal lane of technology and have been pitching a concept that is financially innovative for our company. After a full week of revising and getting feedback from some of my key resources I am finally prepared to officially publish this internally to our company. My expectations are that it will get some initial attention and will eventually lead to more executive level conversations that it turn will continue to gain momentum to getting approval to move forward with this innovation. However, I don’t expect the end result to look like the beginning and that is fine. While I am testing my boundaries I am willingly and excitingly expecting changes to my approach. I don’t expect to be an expert on areas outside of my natural areas but at a minimum if I can create excitement around an area that draws attention and revisions from others then isn’t that ultimately what I am after. A larger and more experienced team ALL working together to change the future. All because a single person decided to test his boundary but ultimately knew it would take a team. Boundaries for an individual can lead to boundaries for an industry.

Building off of my meeting with our CEO on Friday I started working on a brief of what the proposed solution would look like for the company. This is out of my so called wheel house as my proposed concept wasn’t a technical solution but a financial solution. As I started writing the brief I started to struggle with it as I started second guessing every aspect of it. I had no way to validate my thoughts , but yet I knew I couldn’t just walk away from the opportunity to stretch my boundaries. I don’t suspect anyone is expecting my brief to be flawless but instead more of a start to what other can take and extend. I think as the day went on and I continued to push forward with the brief I realized everything in life was a boundary at one point and until you cross it you don’t realize what is actually there.

So I had a scrum with my team yesterday that made the whole day great and I was amazed of the power of 15 positive minutes and its lasting impact. However, today I took a chance as I had a stream of thought around a very large concept that I have been working toward and I decided to take a chance and present it to our CEO. Now I am very aware that our CEO is very grounded as the healthcare industry is very complex and dynamic these days, but I also knew the healthcare industry is looking to change and evolve into a better and cheaper version of what it currently is. With that in mind I asked his AA for 15 minutes today with no agenda other than the subject of the meeting. The time eventually comes and while I am 100% comfortable in these situations I have to admit I have no idea of how he will react. I met him and the first thing I said was we need a whiteboard as I had no presentation or anything. Just a stream of thought and I needed a marker to show it to him. Over the next 15 minutes I laid out a concept and vision of what could be for healthcare and not only was he very receptive , he took what I offered and added to the concept. You might be surprised that many great ideas has started at this type/level of conversation. Hopefully it will be the same with this meeting and if it does, believe it or not your own personal healthcare may change … for the better of course 😊

I took my 14 year old daughter to a Dr. appointment this morning and afterwards we decided to grab breakfast. Not at a fast food drive-thru but a true sit down restaurant. As we ordered and waited while technically she should have been in school and I should have been at work we just sat and talked, laughed a little but really just hung out and enjoyed each other. No stress of needing to be somewhere else but just relaxing and enjoying time with the people you love. Another great start of the day and it stayed great all day.

Had a 15 minute scrum this morning ( to start the day ) with my leads and I have to say how amazed I am how that 15 minute sync had a positive ripple effect across the whole day and for all parties which then effected other groups. It wasn’t just the fact that we had an early morning meeting but it was more about the positive context of the meeting. Although we were getting updates for current work efforts we took time to highlight and praise some of our recent successes. It seemed like it struck a good balance with the team as to pretty much asking more from them with their updates on new work and trying to keep that moving forward but also in recognizing what they just completed successfully. I have been managing through scrums for years and sometimes I am just astonished in how effective good communication and a little recognition can be.

Had a opportunity today to coach one of my employees for the way they came on too strong in a business meeting. This resource is very detailed and has a high passion for their work which is absolutely great. However, apparently some of their frustrations might have got the best of them as it sounds like the meeting turned into a personal venting session all in front of a couple of business executives. My advice was to check their emotional intelligence and especially to be self aware and practice self control. Ironically, I told them I didn’t think their points were wrong, but out of context for what the meeting was actually intended for. Five years ago I wouldn’t have been able to coach them on this topic as I wasn’t even aware of emotional IQ much less practiced it. I am glad to say the coaching I had for them was very well received and what could have been a tough meeting between us was actually very constructive.

Before work even started for me I started getting feedback that some groups wasn’t on the same page with the next steps. A critical resource was out last week and upon entry back into the project she was a little of sync and trying to determine if the things that occurred in her absence was correct or not. Her investigation was misread as more of a challenge than an inquiry. After getting involved to see if we had a true issue or not I discovered both sides were right but they weren’t communicating deeply enough to determine that. Both sides just heard something that sounded challenging thus formed a natural resistance. Goes to show that a deep communication link is needed because just a surface layer communication is misleading. Listen, ask questions, listen some more. Repeat. Solve the problem, don’t look for a problem.

Developing a mobile application has been on my mind lately from an entrepreneurial perspective. I have considered several ideas but there is no way to be sure what is a good to go with. Been thinking about a crowd funding loan application but that might be to big in scope to start off with. Nevertheless, I have the means to build an app, so I would love it if others could suggest a great idea.